A calligram is a quantity of text that has been manipulated to resemble an object. Intro to Digital Media created calligrams of various objects using a combination of hand drawings and Adobe Illustrator. We studied French mathematician Pierre Bezier and his contributions to the computer graphics field. We also explored calligram use in contemporary advertising and graphic design through the works of Dan Fleming and Oscar Wilson.

Students studied the work and process of contemporary graphic designer Aaron Draplin before designing logos for a mock company. We explored the workflow of a typical designer, from preliminary hand-drawn sketches to final design and execution. We discovered how to utilize divergent and convergent modes of thinking to achieve the best possible logo design. We delved into the psychology behind symbols and the phenomena of brand recognition in everyday life. Students created mock companies that were accompanied by an invented history, target audience, location, and size for their respective companies. Our logos are visual representations of these invented attributes.

Students in Intro to Digital Media created posterized portraits based on the work of contemporary street artist Shepard Fairey. Fairey is responsible for the famous but controversial "HOPE" stylized portrait of President Obama. Students were introduced to gradient mapping and multi-level posterization techniques in Adobe Photoshop. We experimented with scientific color schemes and discovered the critical link between an artwork and its title.